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Archived Home Pages - August 2005

08/29/05Landfill Hearings To Be Rescheduled - (from Linda Csete) -

The Allan A. Myers Curative Amendment hearing, originally scheduled for September 19th, has been postponed at the request of the applicant. Therefore, the matter will not be on the September 19th Board of Supervisors agenda, except to reschedule. The new hearing date will not be confirmed until after Sept. 19th. The applicant also withdrew from the September 13th Planning Commission agenda.

See the Landfill entry under 08/19/05 below for more information.08/26/05CHS Patrons Dinner Announced - The annual Charlestown Historical Society fund raiser dinner and auction will be held Saturday September 17, 2005 at Paul Hogan's historic Buckwalter Barn, starting at 5:30 pm. An announcement has been mailed to all society members and will appear in the upcoming Charlestown Newsletter. The announcement (with a contact should you wish to attend though not a member) is also posted on this web site, click here.08/24/05
"Myers Proposes Landfill" by Bill Rettew in today's The Phoenix reports on the proposed landfill use for the Devault Quarry on Rt. 29 in Charlestown. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here. (See our 08/19 entry below for more information.)08/19/05Note: Due to my being tied up with other matters, I have been unable to post any information on the application before the Township for approval for a landfill site in Charlestown Township. The following is the first posting, and I will provide additional information as I receive it. (JM)Landfill in Charlestown? (from Bob Jones) -

Proposal For Landfill In Charlestown Township
You are invited to attend a Charlestown Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday September 19 at 7:30 pm at the Great Valley Middle School (Choral Room - directional signs will be posted) located on Phoenixville Pike for a hearing on the request of landowner Allan A. Myers for a landfill on his 84 acre property (also known as the Devault Quarry) on Route 29 near the intersection of Charlestown Road and Route 29.The landowner filed a challenge to the validity of the Township Zoning Ordinance that restricts the use of his property as a landfill unless the landfill is publicly owned. Such challenge to the validity of a Zoning ordinance is known as a "Curative Amendment" under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code in that the landowner files a zoning "amendment" to "cure" the alleged defect in the zoning ordinance.Pennsylvania law developed by judicial decisionsrestricts municipalities from total prohibitions of land uses without a reasonable relationship to public health, safety or general welfare. Curative Amendments are more commonly filed by landowners/developers seeking multi-family housing, trailer parks or other residential housing and over the years several were filed in Charlestown Township.The landowner arguments and the Township Supervisor's response will be presented in hearings (more than one is expected) beginning September 19. These hearings are a quasi-judicial proceeding meaning that, should you desire to contact a Supervisor, that Supervisor may have been advised to refrain from comment. Similarly it is inappropriate for a judge to comment on a casebefore him/her prior to decision.Please send me an email with your name, address and telephone number to receive further communications on the subject. Respond to Bob Jones at (bob@slvfx.com)We will be meeting to further educate our residents on this matter.

Three articles in local papers in the past few days report on the approval of 90 ft lights for the Great Valley High School stadium. One of the articles is an editorial on the subject.

"School sports at night: More than a light topic" by Dan Hardy in Wednesday's Philadelphia Inquirer is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.

"E. Whiteland approves lights for high school sports events" by Dan Hardy in today's Philadelphia Inquirer is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.

"Neighbors spend 12 years on a win, and ultimately lose" is a Daily Local News editorial published today. The editorial is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.

08/13/05
"Survey: Keep hospital here" by Karin Williams is the last in a series of articles on the plans for expanding the Phoenixville Hospital, focusing on the public reaction to the possibility the hospital would have to move out of Phoenixville. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.08/12/05
"Charlestown Hunt performs award-winning 'Annie'" by Jackie Seigle in today's The Phoenix reports on the performance of the musical Annie by the Charlestown Hunt Summer Theatre group founded by Alli Nurthen. The print version of the article includes three photos of the performers. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here."Hospital: New plans ready for next meeting" by Karin Williams in today's The Phoenix is the second in a three-part series on the plans for expanding the Phoenixville Hospital, the reaction to which could possibly mean the hospital would have to move to a new location. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.Internet Service - Several visitors to this site have asked me to comment on the new fiber optic based "FiOS" internet service being offered by Verizon in our area. (Note, this service is not the same as "DSL", which is also offered by Verizon.) I have had the higher speed version of FiOS (15 mbs) for a couple of weeks now and will definitely keep it. I cannot universally recommend it over Comcast's high speed Internet service as I have not used the basic (5 mbs) service from Verizon. Since I maintain a number of web sites and spend a lot of time on the internet, and since I have the higher-speed version of ethernet (wired and wireless) in my home and supported by my computers, I am in a position to take advantage of the 15mbs speed. Of course, "your mileage may vary", and as always, how fast pages load at my end is always dependent on how fast they are "shipped out" at the other end, as well as congestion on the Internet at any given time. I guess my conclusion is that if you are satisfied with Comcast high speed access, don't bother switching. If you want more speed, check out Verizon's FiOS service.08/11/05As some of you know, I am an antique tractor enthusiast and also created and maintain the web site for Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association (R&T) in Kinzers, PA. R&T's 57th annual "Thresherman's Reunion" starts Wednesday August 17 and runs through Saturday, August 20. If you have never seen huge steam traction engines from the turn of the century and all sorts of antique tractors, engines and equipment operating, then you owe it to yourself to go to this event. The event includes a large working steam-powered saw mill, a working blacksmith shop and threshing demonstrations (shown here). In addition to hundreds of more traditional antique farm tractors, this year's Reunion will feature unusual antique home-built tractors (such as Ford Model T tractor conversions and hit-and-miss powered tractors) as well as Gravely tractors. A photo album with 422 great photos from last year's reunion is available here. The R&T web site has directions to the museum grounds as well as schedules and other information useful to visitors (as well as over 4,000 photos of past events). The visitors information section begins here and information and schedules for each day of this year's Reunion are available here. I hope to see you there."Local residents form coalition to help save Phoenixville Hospital" by Karin Williams in today's The Phoenix is the first of a three part series of articles addressing the possibility that the Phoenixville Hospital will be "moved" to a new location instead of expanding at its existing site. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here."Residents voice opinion in favor of open space" in today's Daily Local News reports on efforts in West Goshen Township to preserve for open space a portion of a 450 acre tract that is to be developed. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.08/08/05 (noon) Correction - The dates for the Charlestown Hunt Summer Theater performance were incorrect in yesterday's posting. The performances are this week, August 10 and August 11.08/08/05Lost Dogs (from Julie Sims) -

BOTH DOGS HAVE RETURNED/BEEN FOUND (08/10/05) - Both of our dogs escaped through our electronic dog fence yesterday afternoon and have not yet returned this morning. We live at 16 Beatty Lane in Charlestown Township. They are both yellow labs, about 90 lbs each, one has pink collar with name Nikita and home phone # as well as red electronic fence collar, the other has lavendar collar with name Zoe and phone # and green electronic fence collar.

08/07/05
"Ask the... Supervisor" in the Neighbors section of today's Philadelphia Inquirer is an interview with Chairman of the Charlestown Township Board of Supervisors Kevin Kuhn, touching on open space, the slip ramp, and balanced growth. The interview is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here."Creative ways to save open space" by Andrew L. Johnson, president of the North American Land Trust in Chadds Ford, lays outs steps that can be taken to help landowners who decide to sell to realize the full value of their property without selling out to developers. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.Charlestown Hunt Children's Theater (from Paul Hogan) -

The Fourth Annual production of the Charlestown Hunt Children's Theater under the direction of Allie Nurthen will be held in the Hogan/Buckwalter Barn on Wednesday, August 10, at 7:00 PM and Thursday, August 11, at 1 :30 and 7:00 PM.Allie is going off to college in September and this may be the last production. All are welcome. No Charge!

08/04/05 (noon)
The viewing for Carol Calabrese will be from 7-9 pm tonight and tomorrow morning from 9-10 at Alleva Funeral Home on Rt. 30 in Paoli. The Mass will follow at St. Pats at 11 AM.08/04/05Carol Calabreese (from Sarah Winkelman) -

Carol Calabreese on Howell Rd died Sunday night after a long illness. She was a long time resident of the township.

"Miss Carol" Neskie, who passed away April 24, has been added to the "Past Neighbors of Note" section of our Neighbors of Note page, which is always linked from the panel of green buttons at the top of most pages.08/03/05
The Official Minutes of the July 18, 2005 meeting of the Board of Supervisors have been posted.08/02/05
"Supers grant conditional use for dog kennel" by Bill Rettew, Jr. in today's The Phoenix reports on discussion at last night's meeting of the Board of Supervisors regarding a proposed dog kennel facility at Spring Mill Rd. and Phoenixville Pike and discussion of a proposed bond issue. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.08/01/05Community Garden Picnic - Last evening some of the gardeners with plots in the Community Garden at Brightside Farm gathered at the garden for a potluck picnic. Some of the potluck dishes were created from garden produce, and all had a great time. Another picnic is being planned for the fall."Hospital On the Move?" by Dennis J. Wright in today's The Phoenix reports on the possibility that the Phoenixville Hospital will have to relocate in the event it can not get approval for expansion at its current site. The article is available on-line from the paper's web site by clicking here.